Just as the issue of film piracy has continued to dominate discourse in different Nollywood social media groups, some stakeholders are beginning to consider revisiting one of the earliest approaches, whereby vendors were raided on the streets.
Bringing back the idea, the filmmakers are convinced that once they are able to discourage the hawkers, the big pirates will be destabilized.
‘They are at large because these hawkers patronise them,” they reasoned.
The group is planning to invent a funding mechanism in support of a Task Force consisting of officers of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Nigeria Police in order to put a possible end to piracy.
A similar approach was taken by the erstwhile leadership of Madu Chikwendu as President of Association of Movie Producers (AMP) through an onslaught that brought video clubs to their knees, as operators were being raided every day.
”We need to adopt strategies for all types of piracy, be it bootlegging, counterfeiting, Illegal broadcast, Illegal downloading and illegal streaming etc. Whose work are you protecting?
To function effectively the rights owners will need to empower you with certain instruments including a Power of Attorney.
This gives you the backing to take action against any infringer. It is very serious business.
Knowing piracy war can only be effective if fought collectively, proponents of this idea also want the initiative well captured in the Motion Picture Council of Nigeria (MOPICON) draft bill currently undergoing review by a 29-member committee inaugurated by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.”
If realized, the coalition is expected to coordinate enforcement activities locally and internationally, lobby the National Assembly to ensure ratification of domestication of relevant treaties, alongside its primary function of war against piracy.
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